Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-03-27
THE PERSIAN NEW E A
How the Shah Royalty Celebrates the
Festivals.

By S. G. w. BeydmiR tn Boston Glcbe.
The New Yeari is celebrated at six differ
ent times in Persia fact which seems to
treat with irony those who claim that the
world is now exactly 5,SS7 years old. In
deed, the wide divergency existing as to
the exact period when the anniversary of
the New Year should fall takes away much
from the significance of the event, which
thus becomes a time when, by common
consent, q community offers oongratula-
lions, rather than aDything possessing
chronological Importance.
At Teheran the Jews have n day, the
Armenians another, the Russians 3 third,
the Roman Catholics and Protestants a
fourth, and the Sheahs or Persian Mahom-
etans still a sixth. 1t is the custom of the
Shah to send a high officer of the realm to
each legation at the New Year of the
respective legations 10 present the compli-
ments of the season. This would occur
three times at Teheran, viz, for the Otto
man and the Russian legations, and for the
other six. The officer arrives early, say
about Z or 8 in the morning, and is in full
uniform, starred with decorations and at
tended BY a numerous retinue.
This over, ten servants of the
royal household in scarlet uniform file into
the legation, led by an upper servant,
welding an official mace. Each of the
ten bears on his head a large circular tray
c%ontaidiug several pyramids of LOAF sugar
and a pile of confectionery. These gifts
are sent by the Shah in order that the
minister may the New Year
with a pleasant taste in his mouth. Con-
sidering the general tenor Of his life
in this vale of tears, this is by no
means q useless precaution at the opening
of a new year, full of unknown contingent
cies. Shortly after this three more Gyeried
servants appear bearing a similar gift from
the Minister of Foreign Affairs or Vitzer
Haredjeh. The Minister receiving these
presents is expected to accept them in per-
son with a few gracious words of acknowl-
edgement; the oriental Secretary is then
depGted TO present a gift of money to each
ofthe bearers OF confectionery, aggregating,
perhaps one-third the value of the sugar.
The trays piled with sweets are laid
during the entire day on the piazza or the
floor of the reception room, that they may
be seen by the numerous callers who offer
their congratulations on the occasion. To
store the gift at once without thus exposing
them to public view would be TO slight the
honor intended by his majesty.
1t is customary TO distribute part of this
present to the officials of the legation and
some of the upper servants. The usage is
extremely oriental, and | should be sorry
to have it abolished as | am TO see any ma
tiOnal custom, in itself harmless, go out of
use before the spirit ofmodern innovation.
Every distinCtively national custom of
long standing gives picturesqueness to life
and serves to carry the imagination back
to the past. The past and the present we
have; the future We have not, and perhaps
see little in it to desire.
In the merry springtime, when the short
SHOWS of winter are melted, when the roses
fill the garden with perfume, and the tur-
tie dove coos amid the blossoms, and the
soft sunlight of the most magical spring
the world sees anywhere CLEANS over the
lovely landscapes of Persia, when the sun
crosses the line in March, and laughs joy
ously over the land of the lion and the sun,
then the Shah and his subjects hail the glad
New Year. They call it the No ROOF, or
new day. Is not this more sensible than
| I'D WtlCOllt TIC tNtul III IL pcllUllCIOIl
manner when winter hurricanes are bowling
over the roofs, ane sleet and snow are beat
ing against the paneS; when rheums and
pneumonia are racking the human frame
and polar winds freeze the very marrow,
and the soul shrivels up so that a walnut
shell would answer rs well as a skull to
hold ii? No; let us change the period of
our New Year Mt least to the time when in
the tree tops the voice of the bluebird is
heard ''prOphesying spring"
The No ROOF is celebrated alike by the
fire wOrshippers and the MahOmetans of
Persia, which plainly enough indicates
that it was established far back in pre-
historic times, although the Sheahs try TO
make out that it is some great Mahometan
festival. This assumption is, however,
sufficiently disprOved by the tradition that
il was established by Shah D%jemsheed at
least 1900 years before the birth of Ma
hOmet, and also by the many very ancient
ceremonies with which the Shah celebrates
the occasion.
The No ROOF lasts during ten days. For
nearly a month in advance the people are
busy making ready for it, as during this
event the shops are closed, none but the
most important work being done, while the
whole nation abandons itself to visiting
and festivity. The evening befor. or rath-
er on the evening when it begins, for Oricn-
tails commence the day at sunset, the peO.
pie amuse themselves by leaping over fires
of brushwOOd laid in rows of ten. This is
an old XOrOastrian custom.
At the palace the occasion commences
with m elaborate official ceremony, which
I have more fully described elsewhere.
The Shah, after this, receives the chief
dignitaries of the kingdom in an open
pavilion; the congratulations of the people
are presented by a set speech made to the
Shah by n great f~unctinnary, rs well
by an ode sung by the court poet.
The sovereign graciOusly reponds
and invOkes the blessing
of God on his people. Although this GER
emory occurs within the precincts of the
palace and is attended with much pomp,
many of the people are permitted to be
present. The occasion is therefore of great
importance, as it is one of the very few by
| which the relations OF the Shah and his
subjects are distinctly and publicly real
lied.
The beneficial effect is still further en-
phasized by the annual horse races which,
unless prevented by some unforeseen event,
| also take place during the No Rooz. There
are some who are inclined TO discuss tn
ethics OF horse racing, and question whethe
they are productive of anything but evil. I
am inclined to think that such occasions
are on the whole beneficial, for they serve
to bring all classes together for one COM
mon object, and hat object agreeable; the
result being to weaken the barriers by
which one class attempts to assume more
merit than il really deserves. The common
| shout that halls the winning steed from
patricians and plebeians alike is also a note
! that proclaims the brotherhood ofman.
In Persia, at least, the annual races are
a genuine GOdsend. Although given un-
der royal auspices, these races are open to
all alike. Any one who pleases IAN enter
a racer, and all from the mendicant to the
Shah may look ON putting in practice the
provcrb that a cat may look at the king.